Something that happened to me with an old extension cord and I didn't see coming. One day I plug the vacuum cleaner in, switch it on, hear a loud pop, and it stops working immediately. I first looked at the fuses, but they were OK. It turns out that the innards of the extension were rusty and have been overheating for some time. I'm glad it didn't end up in a home fire. You can see what it was like inside before I dumped it. The power cord is from the TV.